Education is a multiconceptual word. The word evokes a spectrum of
images ranging from institutional labels to philosophical ideologies and
signifies a range of activities as diverse as the people engaged in
them, or mentioning them. For some to be called "Educational" the
activity must result in some form of worthwhile personal change and to
others it must have some form of intrinsic worth and choice. The term is
also used to cover any activity in a building or institution that is
labelled "educational". Education seems to range from being whatever
anyone likes to call it, to what the political power of the day
enforces! The conglomeration and accumulation of opinions and beliefs does not
easily produce a consensus as to what it actually is, but we all think
we "know" what we are talking about when we use the word.
I rather like the concept of leading out (Groome. 1981. P.3) as a
definitive characteristic of all education, because it allows room for
most definitions of education. It also allows room for self leading and
leading out by others.Education, whatever kind and however we view it, is never neutral
(Hill. 1996. 71). It can be viewed as a religious activity because it
involves knowing the world through other peoples world view. It has
consequences for political, social, religious and every other area of
life. Yet the word "secular" is often coupled with it as if some
learnings are value free, truths outside of the cultural, gender and
language constructs that make it subjective. "Secular" education is no more free of religion than "Religious"
education. It could even be called propaganda because it seeks to
communicate only one world view - what is thought to be a non religious
one.
Without knowledge of our religious heritage how can we study our
past? Art History, Culture and the other subjects we view as of
"educational" value need religious literacy. A very truncated and biased
view is passed on when we cut out references to religious "matter". For
example, what insights would you bring to Michelangelo's "David" if you
know nothing of the biblical account that prompted this work? Perhaps
you would interpret him as a sex symbol? If religious knowledge is not
included in "educational" activities, would it be more realistic to call
them propaganda. We have taught various science theories as though they are absolute
truths only to find out that the world wasn't flat after all. And in the
future our base of 10 may not be politically correct no matter how easy
it is for us to use now to interpret and communicate number.
The attempted secularisation of schooling is one form of hegemony
that can silence many. It limits the potential joy in learning by
denying people the opportunity to see, consider and analyse more than
one perspective. It is a form of rejection that can affect achievement,
success and well being and can lead to feelings of alienation in some
groups. Oh for a world where everyone is open-minded enough to close the
mind, and close minded enough to open it, and wise enough to know what
is appropriate. This is an "educational" direction worth pursuing.
Bibliography
Groome, Thomas. Christian Religious Education. 1981. San Francisco: Harper & Row Publishers.
Hill, B. (1996) Can Religious Education Be Theologically Neutral? Los
Angeles: Internationl Seminar On Religious Education And Values.
Email Id:-deepa.singh@soarlogic.com
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